2026-02-19 / Debate: Judicature (Amendment) Bill and Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill - Second Reading
Hon. (Dr.) Elayathamby Srinath
2026-02-19
Hon. (Dr.) Elayathamby Srinath spoke in support of the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill, noting that drug use became a significant problem in the North and East following the end of the war in 2009 and has since spread nationwide. He called for a comprehensive approach to addressing the drug crisis that combines strong legal enforcement with social measures aimed at protecting and rehabilitating youth.
Hon. Deputy Speaker, thanking you for the opportunity to contribute to this debate, I wish to speak on the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill.
After the war ended in 2009, drug use was systematically introduced targeting the youth in the North and East. Today, it has become a major problem across the country. As we seek to bring this under control through legal amendments such as this, I wish to emphasize at the outset the importance of confronting this menace comprehensively—both through strong enforcement and through social measures to protect and recover our youth.